Into the Dark
by arwens-light
Summary: Into the Dark: Eclipse from Alice's Point-of-View. Sequel to Nuova Luna. Chapter 7: Preparing for the Worst - Things start to come to light with the situation in Seattle
1. Ch 1:Weekend Plans

**Into the Dark**

**Eclipse, Alice's Story**

**Author: Arwens-light**

_**Chapter 1: **__**Weekend Plans**_

**Rating: T for mild violence**

**Author's Note: I'm sorry that it too me so long to get this posted! I have had the worse form of writer's block and I just could not figure out where I wanted this story to start out. I finally was able to timeline the story and get some things down on paper. Then I couldn't figure out a suitable title for the longest time – I finally settled on a title inspired by a **_**Death Cab for Cutie**_** song I think fits Jasper and Alice perfectly, but also forebodes to the hidden movement of other intent on cause harm to the Cullens (of course, no copyright infringement intended). **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Stephenie Meyer owns all. NO copyright infringement intended. Majority of the dialog taken from "Eclipse" Book, some from Movie. **

Edward and I returned to school at Forks High School to finish yet another senior year. Jasper had forged fake transcripts from a high school in Los Angeles that we presented to Ms. Evelyn Cope, the redheaded receptionist at the school's front office. We were reenrolled into all the classes we had held previously in the school year. The principal had made no issue of reregistering us, even though there were only a few months left in the school year. After all, Edward and I had been good students, and it would increase the small school's percentage of college-bound graduates.

We had been back in school for about a week. The chatter from our fellow students, curious over our strange disappearance so suddenly in the fall and even stranger return, had started to finally die down, although Edward was still privy to their inquisitive thoughts. Now seated in the cafeteria, alongside Bella's human friend Angela, most of the talk among the adolescent was focused on prom and graduation. The walls were covered with colorful fliers consisting of Herf Jones advertisements for class rings and reminders telling seniors to order yearbooks, caps and gowns before it was too late.

Angela was staring at one of the yearbook flyers, her dark eyes wide and panicked behind her glasses. "I forgot to order mine!" She turned to me, her face conveying the terror she was feeling at the realization. "Do you think it will get here in time if I order it today?"

I nodded, trying to reassure her. "Of course. The staff always over-orders yearbooks. I'm sure you'll get yours before graduation."

Angela looked at me skeptically, but simply nodded. She glanced up as Ben approached our table. Angela nervously ran her hands over her dark hair, which was pulled back in a haphazard ponytail.

Ben joined us at the table, setting his tray down beside his girlfriend. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before pulling a comic book out of his backpack and disappearing into the fictional work of superheroes.

She glanced at me and then blushed.

I smiled knowingly.

Bella and Edward entered the cafeteria, hand in hand, and made their way over to our table. A small group of students turned and stared as they passed by.

"Have you sent your announcements yet?" Angela asked Bella frantically, suddenly remembering another important graduation piece that had slipped her mind.

Bella and Edward settled into seats opposite Angela and me. Ben barely acknowledged their presence at the table, completely consumed with his comic book now.

Bella shook her head. "No, there's no point, really. Renee knows when I'm graduating. Who else is there?"

I frowned at Bella, looking her over. Her light gray thermal shirt was wrinkled and her hair was sloppily pulled back in a loose bun. Faint shadows appeared under her eyes, hinting that she had not been sleeping well. Her eyes met mine briefly before she glanced away quickly.

"How about you, Alice?" Angela asked me.

"All done," I said, smiling softly at her.

"Lucky you," Angela mumbled. "My mother has a thousand cousins and she expects me to hand-address one to everyone. I'm going to get carpal tunnel. I can't put it off any longer and I'm just dreading it."

"I'll help you," Bella said, suddenly sitting up in her chair. "If you don't mind my awful handwriting."

Angela smiled brightly at her friend. "That's so nice of you! I'll come over any time you want."

"Actually," Bella said, a wide smile spreading across her face, "I'd rather go to your house if that's okay – I'm sick of mine! Charlie un-grounded me last night," she announced proudly.

I grinned and glance at Edward. A look of amusement covered his face as he kept his focus on the cafeteria table.

"Really?" Angela exclaimed, hope rising up in her again. "I thought you said you were in for life!"

"I'm more surprised than you are," Bella said, picking at the slice of pizza in front of her. "I was sure I would at least have finished high school before he set me free."

"Well, this is great, Bella! We'll have to go out to celebrate!"

Bella nodded, sighing. "You have no idea how good that sounds." Edward leaned back in his chair, lightly putting his arm around Bella, and smiled at her. Bella responded by blushing fiercely.

I leaned forward, my finger on my chin in contemplation. "Hm, what should we do?" I pondered, a mischievous grin pulling at my lips_. Seattle was out of the question at the moment, with a bizarre series of murders surfacing in the past few weeks. An art festival would be going on in Boise the coming weekend… Portland was currently holding a renaissance festival for the next month… and Vancouver was holding an indie film festival in two weeks... or maybe I could even convince Bella to make a quick trip to New York City or even London…_ My mind was filled with events to whisk Bella off to, when Bella interrupted my thoughts.

"Whatever you're thinking, Alice, I doubt I'm _that_ free," Bella scolded me, reading my expression.

Edward chuckled under his breath as I shrugged. "Free is free, right?" I pointed out.

"I'm sure I still have boundaries – like the continental U.S., for example."

Ben and Angela began to laugh as Bella smiled cheekily at me. I frowned in disappointment, knowing Charlie would not allow Bella to go farther than the state boarder.

"So, what are we doing tonight?" I asked, readjusting my geographic barriers for Bella's freedom celebration.

Bella shook her head stubbornly. "Nothing. Look, let's just give it a couple of days to make sure he wasn't joking. It's a school night, anyway," she pointed out.

I looked defiantly at Bella. She wasn't getting out of it that easily. "Fine, we'll celebrate this weekend, then."

Edward tried to suppress a smirk as Bella finally relented to me.

I turned my attention to Angela. "What do you think? Movie in Port Angeles? Or maybe shopping in Hoquiam?"

"A movie in Port Angeles might be fun. Do you know what movies are showing?"

Ben placed his comic book down, turning to join in our conversation. "There's a new sci-fi movie coming out this weekend. It's called _Invasion_. Aliens come and try to take over New York City. It's supposed to be really, good, Ang!"

Angela grimaced slightly. "I don't know, Ben, I think it should be Bella's choice since it's her first weekend of freedom."

I tapped my finger against my lip, squinting up at the ceiling. "We don't have to go to the movies. I think there's some sort of art and music festival going on over in Olympia. That might be fun, if Bella wants to go there this weekend –"

And suddenly, I was pulled out of the Forks High School cafeteria.

_The night was dark and misty with rain. A thick layer of clouds covered the night sky, blotting out the light of the moon and the stars. The house before me was dark, with only the eerie yellow street lights casting a faint light against the side. Charlie's police cruiser and Bella's old, red and rusted Ford sat silently in the drive, collecting a coating of moisture from the misty rain. _

_At that moment, I noticed a movement in the bushes. A flash of brilliant red in the darkness of the surrounding forest. And then, she was in the tree next to Bella's bedroom, surveying the bordering woods. She took a deep breath and then turned, peering into Bella's bay window. Crawling along a protruding tree branch, she inched closer and closer. Finally, she stood, barefooted on the branch, calculating the distance between her branch and Bella's window. Then, with cat-like movement, she jumped, landing silently on the window sill. _

_With relative ease, the window gave way and the intruder slipped into Bella's bedroom. She drew herself up to her full height, glaring hatefully down at Bella from the foot of her bed. With malice in her eyes, she leaned over Bella's sleeping form and slowly knelt beside her on the bed. Bella rolled over in her sleep and brushing against the cold skin of the intruder opened her eyes. But instead of looking up into the face of the love of her life, she was met with a cold, murderous stare. _

_Bella's eyes filled with terror and her mouth opened to scream, but the redhead quickly covered her mouth and wrapped an icy hand around her throat. Bella gasped for air as her throat was crushed, obstructing her airway. Bella's fingers tore at the icy steel hand pressing against her neck, tears streaming down her cheeks as her face began to turn red. _

_Bella gazed up at the girl strangling her, gurgling and gasping for air as she struggled. The redhead leaned down, her lips curling over her teeth as she snarled. "Don't worry," she said roughly, pulling Bella up to her by her throat. "I'm not going to kill you just yet. I'm going to make you suffer. I'm going to make you wish you'd never been born. But I'm not going to kill you – not until he can see the pain in your face and watch the light leave your eyes. Then he will truly understand the pain of losing the one he loves. He will finally have paid the price for taking my James away from me," she spat, her hands trembling with rage. _

_And then Victoria grabbed Bella, threw her over her shoulder and disappeared into the dark, Bella's hollow, rasping screams echoing in the night. _

A sharp kick to my shin thrust me back into the present. I jumped, blinking dumbly as I tried to reorient myself with my surrounding. Edward laughed, his face masking his true emotions over what he had just seen play in my head.

"Is it naptime already, Alice?" Edward said lightly, laughing again.

I shook my head, smiling at Angela. "Sorry, I was daydreaming, I guess."

Ben sighed, putting his comic book back into his backpack. "Daydreaming's better than facing two more hours of school," he muttered.

I stole a glance at Edward, emphasizing the anxiety I was feeling for only a brief second of time, before adjusting my expression back to hold a light-hearted conversation with Ben and Angela over more possibilities this weekend presented.

_How are we going to fix this Edward? We need to protect her... Victoria is going to try to make a move against Bella this weekend. _

Edward kept his eyes on Bella, although I knew he had heard my thoughts. This was a problem we needed to resolve, and soon. Victoria was out for vengeance and there would be no appeasing her until she had crushed Bella's life.

Angela and Ben were still debating movies when the bell rang, dismissing us from lunch. Angela and I headed to class while Edward hung behind to talk to Ben about an English assignment that was due next week.

Angela and I continued our conversation over weekend plan options, although my mind was elsewhere. We took our seats beside one another in Mr. Varner's Trigonometry class and pulled out our thick math textbooks.

Mr. Varner reviewed last night's homework assignment and then began to enthusiastically cover a new section from our Trigonometry book. I sat beside Angela, who was feverishly taking notes, and stared blankly at the notebook paper in front of me.

_How were we going to fix this situation? _

I lightly taped my pen against the spine of my notebook as Mr. Varner droned on about sine, cosine and tangent.

_We could only guard or hide Bella for so long until Victoria figured out a way around our defenses... but for now, the immediate threat was this weekend. That should be our focus. _

Mr. Varner instructed us to take five minutes and work on the three example questions at the end of the chapter. I flipped to page 245 in my textbook and examined the questions.

Question A. What is the cosine of 370°?  
>Question B. What is the sine of -3 radians?<br>Question C. Find the missing angle.

I turned to a blank page in my notebook and neatly wrote out my answers.

Question A. 0.985  
>Question B.-0.141<br>Question C. 70°

I remained bent over my notebook for the remaining time, to not draw attention to myself. When Eric Yorkie finished the example problem set, he leaned arrogantly back in his chair, arms crossed, smiling goofily around the classroom.

Mr. Varner collected our homework and in-class problem set at the end of class, loudly reminding us, as the majority of the students hurried from the classroom, that another assignment would be due Monday.

After our last class, Angela and I said goodbye in the parking lot. With the spare key, I let myself into the Volvo and waited for Edward and Bella.

They appeared around the corner of Building 3, accompanied by Mike Newton. I gazed curiously at the three. Edward wasn't particularly fond of Mike, but apparently was deep in conversation with him about his car. Bella followed behind Edward, a perplexed expression on her face.

The trio finally stopped in front of Mike's mechanically-challenged car. Mike looked slightly baffled as I heard him say "Thanks, but I have to get to work. Maybe some other time."

"Absolutely," Edward replied.

"See ya," Mike muttered as he got into his car, still looking confused at the interaction between him and Cullen.

Bella frowned at Edward as he opened the passenger door for her. "What was _that_ about?" She asked, refusing to get into the car.

Edward shrugged. "Just being helpful," he replied innocently.

Bella hesitated before she finally relented and climbed into the vehicle.

Edward subtly glanced at me as he walked to the driver's side of the Volvo. As soon as he climbed into the car and turned the key in the ignition, I began to talk at high speed.

"You're really not that good a mechanic, Edward. Maybe you should have Rosalie take a look at it tonight, just so you look good if Mike decides to let you help, you know. Not that it wouldn't be fun to watch his face if _Rosalie_ showed up to help. But since Rosalie is supposed to be across the country attending college, I guess that's not the best idea. Too bad. Though I suppose, for Mike's car, you'll do..."

_She knows something is going on, Edward… she's going to ask you about it as soon as you both are alone at her house, _I mentally warned my brother.

"It's only within the finer tunings of a good Italian sports car that you're out of your depth. And speaking of Italy and sports cars that I stole there, you will owe me a yellow Porsche. I don't know that I want to wait for Christmas. How about as my birthday present, or a graduation present? Both of those are coming up in June, and I promise I wouldn't drive it around Forks…"

_Bella is going to ask you what I saw at lunch – I don't mind if you tell her it has something to do with Jasper. That would be plausible. _

Edward head tilted slightly to the side in acknowledgement.

"And then, speaking of graduation, we'll definitely have to put something on for Bella. After all, you only graduate from high school once, right?" I laughed and continued my constant stream of chatter until we neared our driveway.

Edward slowed and pulled to a stop at the entrance to the lane. I slid out of the backseat and collected my books and purse.

_Whatever you do, don't mentioned Victoria, Edward. Bella would not handle that well. Figure out a way to get her away from here this weekend. _

I threw Edward a fleeting last glance before I straightened and situating my purse on my shoulder.

"See you later," Edward said causally. He dipped his head slightly in agreement.

I nodded back and with a wave to Bella, began to walk up the gravel path. I kept my pace slow, collecting my thoughts as I walked beneath the green canopy of trees.

I stared down at my brown ankle boots as I kicked at the ground. What were we going to do? Bella was already suspicious that something was going on – there was no way I could convince her to stay the night outside of the area without her knowing something was going on.

Frowning at the wet earth beneath my pristine leather boots, I returned to my slow walk up the drive, deep in thought. My navy Marc Jacobs dress rippled slightly with a cool breeze, the silky fabric brushing against my knees.

Soon, the tree line broke and I was at the edge of our large yard. Esme, Jasper and Emmett had done a lot of work around the house and yard since we had returned to Folks. The new spring glass was now nicely manicured and all the fallen branches and other forms of debris had been cleared. Esme had even repaired the window Bella had thrown a thick envelop full of cash through earlier in the winter.

I lightly leapt up the stairs and slipped inside the open front door. Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie were in the living room, watching a Seattle news station about the serial killer. TV analysts and broadcasters were debating various theories, weighing in on the likelihood the killings were being committed by a single person verse a gang.

Emmett glanced back at me as I entered the room, his facial expression losing its seriousness. "What up, Alice?" he called out. "How was school today? Learn anything new?" He chuckled as Rosalie softly punched his shoulder.

I leaned against the sofa that he and Rosalie were lounging on. "No," I said, shrugging. "Get anything new from the latest reports?" I asked, gesturing toward the TV.

Rosalie shook her head, her blonde waves cascading down her back. "Nothing new. They keep analyzing the same data and it all comes back inconclusive. All disappearances are random, with little or no connection between the victims. The bodies of the people they do find are torn to pieces, but poorly disposed of. The police say they have leads and are investigating all reports, but there is no evidence left behind – no fingerprints, no DNA samples. They have nothing to go on."

Jasper finally spoke, his eyes still focused on the television. "Every day this is looking more and more like newborns. It's a wonder the Volturi hasn't stepped in already to silence them. We need to start considering the possibility that we may be the ones that need to take action against this."

Emmett clapped his hands together, excitement filling his eyes. "Excellent! Some action!"

Jasper frowned, but kept his attention on the news anchor. "We need to address this situation with Carlisle. We may want to discuss the option of sending a few of us up there this weekend to investigate the matter."

I automatically shook my head. "This weekend is no good."

Emmett frowned up at me. "Why not?" he asked defiantly.

"There is a much more pressing issue that we need to see to this weekend." I glanced over at Jasper. "I had a vision at school today."

Emmett and Rosalie gazed at me curiously. Jasper muted the TV and turned in his chair to face me, his expression still serious.

"Victoria is going to try to make a move on Bella this weekend. We need to set a perimeter, monitor the situation from the inside and out – make sure Bella is safe."

Rosalie scoffed, her lips pulling down.

"Victoria's still trying to get to Bella while all of us at here?" Emmett asked, sitting up on the sofa.

"No, you don't understand," I said firmly. "Victoria will go after Bella – for blood."

Silence fell over the room.

Finally, Emmett cleared his throat roughly. "Well, obviously we're not going to let that happen. We'll figure something out."

"Of course we will," Esme said. She had silently appeared from the dining room. "Carlisle gets home soon. He will know what to do."

Emmett nodded confidently and then stood up, stretching. "Well this sure puts me in a fighting mood. I think I'm going to go for a run… maybe find something big to hunt."

Rosalie rose with him, pulling her golden hair into a tight bun. "I'll go with you."

"Be back in an hour!" Esme called after them, watching as they disappeared into the gray afternoon. She paused for a moment, staring after them, before turning back inside. She had been toying with the idea of building Edward and Bella a honeymoon cottage out on the northern edge of our property, deep in the wood. Blue prints, a Forks Chamber of Commerce Building Code Regulation book and sketches covered the large oak dining table. Esme returned to the dining room, straightening the documents in preparation for Carlisle's return.

I slowly made my way toward Jasper, who had returned to watching the TV. When he didn't break his focus, I perched myself onto the arm of the reading chair he was seated in.

After a long, silent moment, I ran my fingers across his temple, brushing his honey hair behind his ear. "What are you thinking?" I asked quietly. "I can feel that you're frustrated."

Jasper sighed and rubbed at his eyes. "I just don't understand. Why doesn't he turn her? It would solve so many problems – Victoria, the Volturi, the thirst…"

I shrugged, running my fingers through my husband's hair. "I don't know, Jazz. Edward has his reasons."

Jasper frowned, his eyes still trained upon the local CNN News Reports.

We sat in silent for a while, the only noise in the house was Esme as she gathered and organized her papers.

When I was pulled into a vision, I felt Jasper quickly slip his arm around my waist to keep me from falling of the arm of the chair. His hand stayed on my hip until I was released from the vision.

He gazed up at me expectantly. "What did you see?"

I looked down at him, smiling. "Florida."


	2. Ch 2: Running Blind

**Into the Dark**

**Eclipse, Alice's Story**

**Author: Arwens-light**

_**Chapter 2: Running Blind**_

**Rating: T for mild violence**

**Author's Note: I want to thank all my reviewers - alicefan32, jilly611, bmthespian, joayla, L.A.H.H, and bananafox. If any readers/reviews have any suggestions for things they would like to see in future chapters of Into the Dark (i.e. Alice planning the Graduation Party, etc) please post a comment and let me know! I've love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Stephenie Meyer owns all. NO copyright infringement intended. Some of the dialog taken from "Eclipse" Movie. **

I sat in Carlisle's study, staring out the window at the damp, green world outside. The room was warm and smelled of dusty, old books. Carlisle gazed at me patiently, quietly tapping his pen against the stack of his hospital paperwork. Jasper sat beside me, silently contemplating my reasons for seeking out Carlisle.

I finally cleared my throat and began. "This weekend…"

"Bella and Edward are leaving for Florida tonight, Alice," Carlisle said soothingly, misunderstanding my meaning of interrupting his work. "Bella will be safely out of Victoria's reach. We'll be able to track her without any problems."

I shifted in my chair uncomfortably and shook my head. "No Carlisle – I mean, I am glad that Edward and Bella will be all the way across the country – but that's not why I need to talk to you."

Carlisle raised an inquisitive eyebrow and pushed his medical reports to the side. "What's this all about, Alice?" he asked calmly.

"It is about this weekend. But I think there are other things to consider that may present a possible obstacle."

Carlisle waited patiently for me to continue.

I swallowed the lump in my throat before finally getting the words out. "I don't know how reliable my visions will be if we're tracking Victoria near the treaty line."

The doctor leaned back in his chair and ran his fingers through his hair, staring up at the ceiling. "You think that being close to the treat line may affect your vision?"

I shrugged. "I don't know… that's just it. It's not like I would be able to see it. I don't want us to go in blind…"

"We're not blind, Alice. We already have your vision of Victoria. We know that she is planning to go to Bella's house this weekend. That's plenty of good information."

I scowled down at my hands, which were twisting nervously in my lap. "There has to be an explanation on why I cannot see around these wolves…"

"A natural defense mechanism," Jasper suggested, speaking for the first time since we had entered the room.

"A natural defense against a natural enemy?" I snorted. "_Of course_ Bella would find worse company to keep than vampires…"

"Edward and I discussed the possibility that you cannot see the werewolves because of their transformations," Carlisle said, thoughtfully rolling a pen between his pale fingers. "In essence, their very lives are ruled by their transformation between man and beast. It can be involuntary, unpredictable. Perhaps that is the reason you cannot see their futures."

I pondered Carlisle's theory. _It would make perfect sense – unpredictable variables were a downfall of my visions. Futures were defined by decisions and choices. If the wolves had no choice in their transformation, how could I see anything that revolved around them?_ I sighed and ran my fingers over my eyes.

"It just makes me uneasy… not being sure…"

Carlisle nodded. "I know, Alice. But don't worry; everything will be ok."

I frowned, not completely agreeing with Carlisle's assessment. Finally after a moment of silence, I reluctantly nodded and rose from my chair. "I'm going to run the perimeter."

"I'll come with you," Jasper said, his expression serious.

I turned and left Carlisle's office. I calmly made my way down the stairs to the front porch. But as soon as my foot hit the ground, I was off, the cool wind wiping cruelly at my face. I could hear Jasper behind me, easily keeping pace with me. I pushed myself forward, waves of anger and frustration burning in my chest.

I effortlessly swung myself over a felled tree. I could feel a branch catch on the sleeve of my sweater, but I pressed forward, too many emotions running through my system at the moment to care about the torn cashmere at my elbow.

We ran for miles, Jasper always trailing behind me. Giant pine trees towered overhead, creating a great canopy above our heads. The forest surrounded us, and we were lost in its nature.

Finally, after I had dropped down a sheer hill encircling a small lake in the middle of the Olympic National Rainforest, Jasper called out to me. I slid to a stop at the bottom, smooth gray and purple stones scattering under my feet. I stood motionlessly, staring into the dark waters as Jasper slid to a stop next to me.

"Alice…" he said softly.

I closed my eyes and sighed trying to get my emotions under control for Jasper's sake. I felt my husband gently take my hand, his long fingers intertwining with mine.

"I'm sorry for not keeping my emotions in check," I said softly. "It's just so frustrating not understanding what's going on with me… I feel like I'm losing control of myself…"

Jasper's strong arms encircled me and held me close to his chest. "It's okay, Alice," he whispered softly. "We'll figure this out…"

I nodded but a doubt had begun to creep into my heart that I wasn't sure I could dismiss.

Jasper sighed, feeling my emotions. He took my hand in his and grasped it firmly, as if to reassure me. "Come on," he said. "Let's run."

A few hours later, after Jasper and I had finished running the parks, we regrouped with our family. Tonight was our strategy meeting. Tomorrow night we would make our stand and confront Victoria.

We gathered in our dining room, as usual. Carlisle was seated at the head of the table. He waited patiently as we all took our seats before he began.

"Esme and I just got back from dropping Edward and Bella off at the airport. They are flying on the red eye from Seattle to Jacksonville, with a connection through Chicago. They will return in the same fashion Sunday night," Carlisle explained, covering all logistical details before turning to Emmett. "Now, with the task at hand - when we run to intercept Victoria tomorrow night, we will do just that. I do not want a fight to break out. If things can come to a peaceful resolution, that is the path we must strive to take," he concluded, ending his gaze with Jasper.

Emmett frowned, clearly disappointed in Carlisle's instructions, but nodded.

Jasper stared evenly at Carlisle, his gaze slightly hard. His lips pursed into a thin line, but he nodded his acknowledgement as well. I knew Jasper's instincts were screaming inside of him, telling him - _to hell with it all – protect your family, no matter what the cost_ - but we both knew Carlisle avoided violence at all costs.

Esme pulled out a topographical map of northwest Washington and laid it carefully on the table. We all leaned forward, examining the document in front of us.

Carlisle stood, pointing to a position on the map. "Esme and I have scouted out a location at the top of a small ridge approximately two miles from the Sherriff's Office on the north side of town. We feel that this will provide the best location with a higher ground advantage. Based upon Alice's vision, Victoria should be arriving at the county line at approximately 11:05 tomorrow night. We'll wait for Alice to verify Victoria's position before making a move to interfere. Jasper and Emmett, in Edward's absence, you two are the fastest among us. Once Alice confirms Victoria's position, I want both of you in the lead."

"And if she makes a move to attack?" Jasper asked, staring at the map intently.

"We only move to defend and to incapacitate," Carlisle said firmly, "No lethal attacks."

At 11:00 the following night, we had gathered in the forest. A light rain was falling, causing a mist to slowly form above the damp earth. I remained stationary, Jasper's hand on my lower back to steady me as my eyes unfocused.

"You're sure this is where you saw her?" Carlisle asked gently, surveying the surrounding forest. The noise of the night was all that echoed among the trees.

I nodded, my mind focused on the near future.

_A flicker of red hair flashed through the darkness of the night. Her steel-toed combat boots skipped over the damp earth. _

"She's almost here…"

I felt my family spread out behind me, cautiously scanning the Olympic rainforest for any signs of movement. Everyone was tense, ready to spring into action.

_Another streak of red, this time jumping effortlessly over a fallen tree. Her heavily cladded feet splashed as they hit the shallow water of a creek. She wove between the trees, artfully flying from shadow to shadow, as if keeping her path hidden from me. _

I heard Emmett growl behind me in anticipation, itching for the fight he was forbidden to engage in.

Jasper's hand remained steadily on the small of my back, providing me support as I tried to follow Victoria's fleeting changes of thought.

_She crossed a forgotten hunting trail, over grown with large ferns. And then I knew exactly where she was. _

"On your left!" I exclaimed, shaking my head to clear my foggy mind of the vision.

Emmett immediately turned, sprinting to the west. Jasper followed close behind him. Carlisle and I ran after Jasper, with Esme and Rosalie trailing behind us. The cold night wind whipped at my hair and caused an uncomfortable feeling in my eyes, but I quickly blinked it away as I focused on our task at hand.

We were drawing close to Victoria – we could hear her footsteps in front of us now, moving swiftly through the brush. Emmett pushed himself forward, hungry for the confrontation. Victoria quickly pivoted, changing her direction. Emmett adjusted with equal speed, gaining ground on her.

I dropped slightly behind Carlisle, not able to match his speed. Jasper strategically moved in step with Carlisle. They worked together and slowly drifting apart to cover Emmett's left and right in case Victoria cut back.

I weaved between the trees, making sure to keep Victoria in my sight. Her red hair ripples behind her in the wind, making it easy to see her in the purple shade of night.

Emmett's huge frame advanced on Victoria. Drawing close, he was mere inches away from her when suddenly, he flew over Victoria and straight into a large cedar tree. The tree trembled as Emmett's body crashed into its trunk, groaning at the sudden addition of extra weight.

Jasper and Carlisle remained in close pursuit of Victoria, pushing her closer to the edge of a ravine that ran along the northern tip of West Fork River. Her speed did not slow as she raced toward the edge. In one fluid movement, Victoria launched herself into the air as she sailed over the forty foot gap. She landed on the rocks on the opposite bank, defensively crouched.

Carlisle and Jasper skidded to a stop at the edge of the ravine. Carlisle grabbed Rosalie's arm, stopping her from following to the other side. "Wait! She's in their territory!" Carlisle said, nodding to the darkness of the tree toward the Quileute Reservation.

I could see the curiosity spark in Victoria's eyes for a fraction of a second before she rose to her feet and began running along the edge of the water.

Rosalie growled, tearing her arm from Carlisle's gasped. "She'll get away!" she snapped as she turned on her heels and began to track Victoria from across the river. Emmett quickly caught up to her, fury also burning in his eyes.

Jasper followed closely behind Rosalie and Emmett as Esme, Carlisle and I brought up the back.

A feral snarled drew our attention away from Victoria. My step faltered as I realized what had snuck up behind us. Fear immediately seized me, as in a panic, I knew I could no longer see the outcome – we were running blind.

Two huge wolves broke through the tree line that ran the length of the riverbank, hot on Victoria's trail. The larger of the two was in the lead, its sleek black coat providing it a simple camouflage in the darkness of night. A silvery, light gray wolf flanked the leader, its teeth barred viciously as it growled. They swiftly closed in on Victoria, snapping at her heels.

She quickly realized the danger she was in and leapt back across the river at a low dip in the ravine.

Jasper and Emmett charged forward. Jasper shadowed her, using his superior speed to gain ground on her. With a calculated, practiced step, Jasper sprang at Victoria. But at the last minute, she jumped against the base of a tree, using the leverage to thrust herself over Jasper and out of his reach. Jasper tumbled to the ground, his eyes growing dark with anger.

Emmett assumed Jasper's lead position, once again closing the gap between himself and Victoria. She became aware of Emmett's pursuit and again turned toward the river bank. The ravine had begun to narrow as we ran north. Victoria easily cleared the ten yard gap.

Emmett's feet did not slow as he followed after Victoria and without a thought, launched himself across the water.

"Emmett, no!" Rosalie screamed after him, rushing to the river side.

The second Emmett's feet touched down on the opposite bank, a flash of silver knocked him back into the icy water. A roar rumbled in Emmett's chest as he rose from the water, shaking his head in fury. The giant silver wolf growled back at Emmett, as if daring him to make a move.

Esme caught Rosalie's arms, keeping her from leaping across the river to her husband's defense.

Further down the bank, I caught sight of Victoria as she curiously slowed, a look of confusion covering her face as she observed the interaction between Emmett and the wolf. And then she was gone, disappearing into the northern forest.

Jasper and Carlisle dropped onto the rocks on the eastern side of the West Forks River as the black wolf assertively positioned itself on the higher ground of the opposite bank. Emmett and the silver wolf were both in a defensive stance, growling and snarling at each other as neither gave up their ground.

Carlisle took a small step forward, raising his hands in a peaceful gesture. "We do not mean you any harm. We are tracking the red-headed vampire as well. Please, we do not wish to fight."

The black wolf gazed intently at Carlisle, tilting its head slightly to the side as if considering his words. Its eyes appeared eerily human. Finally, after several tense minutes, the large, dark wolf snorted and shook its head. The silver wolf glanced back, snarling its displeasure. But with one menacing growl from the larger wolf, the silver wolf reluctantly backed away from Emmett.

Emmett glared after the silver wolf until it had disappeared into the trees. The black wolf growled again, shaking its furry head as it examined Emmett's large frame.

"Emmett," Carlisle commanded his son, his arms still raised.

After a moment of hesitation, Emmett slowly began to move toward Carlisle. He walked backward, not trusting the wolves enough to turn his back on them. Rosalie dropped down from the top of the ravine to meet her husband as Emmett lifted himself up onto the rocks on the east side of the river. The black wolf slowly backed into the brush, fading into the shadows, its eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight until it was consumed by the darkness of the night.

I stared after those haunting eyes, uneasiness spreading through me. Something had gone very wrong tonight… and I had a feeling this would not be the end of it.


	3. Ch 3: Unseen

**Into the Dark**

**Eclipse, Alice's Story**

**Author: Arwens-light**

_**Chapter 3: Unseen**_

**Rating: T for mild language**

**Author's Note: ****1. I'm so sorry about the long delay in my chapter updates… I thought with my Eclipse story outlined, I would be able to write faster. That clearly didn't happen. I've also been a little over my head with working full time, plus school and still wanting to maintain a personal life. 2. I've definitely had some writer's block on how to get this chapter started, but what is most puzzling to me at the moment is my "tense" – I have just finished reading the entire Hunger Games trilogy (AMAZING, btw… if you have not read it, I insist you read it NOW) and Suzanne Collins uses present tense, instead of past tense (which I am most used to reading and writing). It's just throw me for a loop and I keep starting sentences in past tense and finishing in present… So I truly apologize if there are any outrageous grammatical errors. **

**I want to thank all my readers and especially my reviewers**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Stephenie Meyer owns all. NO copyright infringement intended. Some of the dialog taken from "Eclipse" Movie. **

I didn't quite notice it at first. The moments are so fleeting, sometimes I forget about them. It wasn't until I conscientiously searched for it that I knew something was wrong. Because I couldn't see either of them. Not Bella. Not Edward.

Not being able to see Edward was what scared me the most. Bella, and humans in general, required more of my concentration and their futures were always fuzz and less clear to me. But I had never _not_ been able to see the future of my own kind. After having been able to keep tabs on my brother for almost five decades, suddenly not being able to see his future terrified me.

I had frozen mid-step, my silent heart heavy in my chest. A warm human hand gently tugged on my elbow.

I blinked slowly until I focused on Angela's features. Her brow was furrowed, clearly concerned with my odd behavior.

"Alice, what's wrong?" she asked, finally succeeding in pulling me out of the middle of the hallway.

I shook my head. "Just worried about this Calculus final," I lied.

She nodded. "I understand. I'm feeling completely overwhelmed at the moment. How is one person supposed to handle all of these finals, plus get ready for graduation, on top of the anxiety of starting college in a few months?" Angela's face was flushed, her eyes clearly panicked.

I gave her a small smile, distracted by my lack of vision. "Don't worry," I murmur softly, "We'll get through this."

I followed Angela the rest of the way into the English classroom and took my seat beside her.

The bell rang, indicating the start of the school day.

I bit my lip, my nerves bundling in a knot in the pit of my stomach. I silently slipped my small, silver phone from my pocket and sent Edward a text.

_Where are you? What is going on? I can't see you…_

For several mind-numbingly tense seconds I waited for a response, my feet itching to fly out the door and figure out what was wrong.

My phone screen finally glowed green for a moment, indicating a response. I flipped open my phone and read the message.

_Animal Control problem._

Of course, Jacob Black was involved in this somehow. He had clouded my vision, disabling my ability to see.

"Damn dog," I muttered under my breath.

After school that day, Bella had demanded to meet with us. The incident with Victoria had put her on edge and she practically begged Carlisle to change her – right then and there.

Carlisle patiently shook his head, partly because of Edward's seething, but more so because he still believed the original plan they had constructed was the best course of action.

Everyone settled back into a forced sense of normalcy.

Everyone it seemed, but me.

Instead of the ache in my head disappearing, it persisted. Painfully. I wasn't used to having to deal with this level of discomfort. Most of the time it would simmer to a dull throb and I could almost forget about it. But other times – especially went I tried to focus on Victoria's next move, the sharp pain would erupt anew. I cursed those damned dogs for interfering with my visions, clouding my mind's ability to see passed their perimeter runs and hunting trips.

I had taken to hiding in strange places, trying to outrun the pain. This time, I had sought refuge in a large pine tree twenty miles north of our home.

I leaned against the rough bark of a fir tree, starting out over the sea of branches that seems to stretch for miles over the Pacific Northwest Rainforest. There was something smoothing, almost hypnotic about the gentle sway of the trees and the endless ocean of earthy shades of green. I heard branches stir softly below me and a moment later, my husband carefully pulled himself onto a branch next to me.

I ignored his gaze, keeping my eyes trained on the sea of green before me. He settled back into the trunk of the tree and we sat in silence for a long while.

"What's bothering you the most?" Jasper finally ventured to ask, glancing at me. I had been avoiding him for the past two days, afraid my angry mood swings would be too much for him.

I rubbed at my eye, trying to force the sharp, shooting pain back. "Well, the headaches are killer," I scoffed, scowling at the emptiness in front of us. "I guess it's the not knowing though… that's worse."

Jasper laughed softly. "Welcome to the world that the rest of us live in."

I frowned at him. "This is not the same, Jasper. Imagine if suddenly, you lost your empathy. You would be in a panic too."

He sighed. "I understand that not knowing is scary, Alice – but try to see it as a blessing."

I shook my head. "Jazz, it's like… like, I've lost a part of myself. All of a sudden, I don't have this part of me that have been there for almost a century – and I feel like I'm in a panic trying to figure out how to find myself again…I've already lost too much. I don't want to lose anymore of myself," I choked, biting back at the strange lump that was rising in my throat.

Jasper fell silent and a feeling of frustration and helplessness washed over me. He slowly reached out his hand and took mine. "It will be okay, Alice. We'll get through this," he said, repeating the words I had spoken to comfort Angela only days before.

I nodded, rubbing at the shooting pain behind my eye again. I squeezed his hand firmly, thankful for the comfort this small gesture gave me.

"I know," I whispered quietly.

We sat together for a while, silent. Eventually, Jasper cleared his throat and asked softly, "Can you see anything unusual for this weekend?"

I inhaled slowly and closed my eyes. The images came smoothly, without pain. I sighed and blinked back into the light of day. I offered my husband a small, encouraging smile. "No, nothing that I can see."

Jasper offered me a slightly crooked smile in return. He pressed his soft lips to my temple, squeezing my hand. "Emmett really wants to see if he can rustle up a bear." He paused, his eyes distance for a moment before continuing. "We should probably take Edward. He hasn't hunted in a while."

I nodded. "Good plan. I can stay behind and keep an eye on Bella."

Edward took some convincing before he finally relenting to joining Jasper and Emmett on their hunting trip. Bella practically pushed him out the door, ordering him to spend Saturday with his brothers. I assured Bella that I would stay nearby, not wanting to stray too far away from her, especially with my visions being unreliable lately. Bella had promised Angela she would come over to help her with the mountain of graduation invitations after her morning shift at her weekend job at Newton's Olympic Outfitters.

Early Saturday morning I walked a perimeter around the Swan residence, surveying the house in the gray morning light. After being satisfied with my vision that Bella would get to work safety, I began a slow trek around the city limits of Forks. I had finished my second loop when I finally decided nothing was going to happen and it would be okay if I ventured out into the nearby forest to do some hunting.

My boots lightly stepped over the damp earth as I ran further into the forest. The fresh, dirt-scented air filled my lungs and I gladly breathed it in, relishing the calming environment I was amerced in. My light, cream-colored cotton shirt fluttered against my skin as I all but flew between the trees, weaving, ducking and jumping. I soon smelled my prey and the hunt to satisfy my thirst began.

After hunting, I ran another sweeping perimeter, this time, up to Lake Crescent and back to the outskirts of Forks. I found nothing unusual. Even better was that the pain in my head had slowly gone away and I was relishing in the pleasure of simply feeling normal again.

I jogged back to our house and decided to swing by Newton's Olympic Outfitters to see if Bella had finally relented to letting me spend the night with her. It would certainly put Edward at ease. I borrowed Carlisle's Mercedes and headed into town, stopping at Sully's Drive In to pick up a burger for Bella. Maybe I could convince her to let me sleep over by bribing her with a delicious lunch.

A Muse song was playing on the radio when I pulled into the abandoned parking lot in front of Newton's Olympic Outfitters. I frowned as I surveyed the lot, not seeing Bella's rusted old truck.

The bell rang as I entered the store and Mike Newton immediately hopped up to the register counter, ready to help whatever customer had just entered.

He stared at me for a moment, puzzled at the sight of me in his parent's shop.

I offered him a small smile, and then looked around, appreciating the variety of hunting, hiking, camping and other outdoor products they offered the little town of Forks. "Nice store," I commented, glancing back at Mike.

He swallowed thickly. "Thank you," he said.

The silence between us grew uncomfortably long. Finally, I cleared my throat. "Where's Bella?" I asked, gazing around the racks and rows of merchandise.

"My mom gave her the day off. It's a bit slow here anyway."

I stare at the Newton boy. Bella wasn't here? I blink stupidly at him. "She's not here?" I hear myself ask.

Mike shakes his head. "Nope. I bet she went home."

I nod, feeling myself backing away from him. "Yeah, sure," I allow, panic beginning to rise in my chest. She wasn't here. "Thanks, Mike," I call to him as I push open the exit. "See you in school Monday."

As soon as I'm out of the store, I slump against the side of the building. An odd tightness has formed in my chest. I clutch nervously at it and close my eyes, focusing on Bella, on her future.

And I don't see a damned thing.

**##**

**I hope you liked it – let me ask you something: do you prefer long chapters and are willing to wait a few weeks longer for them to be posted or would you prefer shorter chapters that are posted more quickly? Let me know, cause I know I hate it when I find a story I like and the author takes weeks or even months to update… **


	4. Ch 4: The Price of a Bribe

**Into the Dark**

**Eclipse, Alice's Story**

**Author: Arwens-light**

_**Chapter 4: The Price of a Bribe**_

**Rating: T **

**Author's Note: I know, I know… it's been a while. I'm truly sorry. I get horrible writer's block and then all of a sudden, I'll just be able to sit down and write eight pages… like tonight. I hope you enjoy this chapter… things are about to start rolling :)**

**I want to thank all my readers and especially my reviewers - bmthespian, joayla, and bananafox. Bananafox – to answer your question about Alice's headaches – maybe I jumped a bit with this one. My theory is that when she tries to focus too much on Victoria, she is getting too much interference to see anything properly, which is giving her the headaches. When she tries to see anything concerning the wolves, she doesn't see or feel anything. However, Alice hasn't quite figured that out yet**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Stephenie Meyer owns all. NO copyright infringement intended. Some of the dialog taken from "Eclipse" Movie. **

Edward was beyond furious. The moment the words were out of my mouth, I was rewarded with a slur of cruses and then the line went dead. The metal paneling of the Newton's sports good store felt icy-cold, even against my skin. A few seconds later, my phone vibrated and I raised it to my ear silently.

"Alice?" Jasper's voice came through the line. His tone was full of concern. "What happened? Edward just dropped everything and ran off."

I swallowed heavily, my tongue feeling strangely thick in my mouth. "I can't see Bella," I stated simply, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice.

There was a brief moment of silence on the phone. "We'll be there soon," Jasper said calmly.

I hung up the phone and stared at my shoes. How had I let this happen? What could I have done, short of never letting her out of my sight or putting a house-arrest anklet on her? I ran my hand over my brow, frustrated and perplexed. This was not good.

Slowly I stood and made my way to Carlisle's Mercedes. I drove back to our house, trying to pinpoint the moment I couldn't see Bella. But there was nothing that stood out. It hadn't been until I'd consciously looked for her that I knew she was gone. Just like earlier this year, with her little cliff-diving experiment.

A few minutes later I pulled up to our house. Esme greeted me as I entered the dining room, but her smile quickly faded to concern.

"What's wrong, Alice?"

"She's gone. I can't see Bella," I replied flatly.

Carlisle appeared behind me. "Just like before?" he asked calmly.

I nodded, scowling at Esme's blue prints, spread across the top of the thick, oak dining room table.

"I'm sure everything will be alright, Alice..."

"Not when Edward's done with me," I muttered, staring out the large dining room window into the dark surrounding forest.

"You're trying to watch too many things, Alice," Esme said, raising and putting her arms around me in a motherly embrace. "It's too much for a single person."

I shook my head. "But of anything to fall through the cracks, it shouldn't have been Bella… I don't know how I'm going to explain this to Edward."

"We'll just have to come up with a better game plan next time," Carlisle reasoned. He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

After a few short moments, Edward answered.

"Edward," Carlisle said smoothly, "I think we know where Bella is."

Two hours later, I saw Edward make the decision to head straight for the boundary line rather than come home. But it wouldn't be until the next day that we saw him again.

When I came out of my room, early Sunday afternoon, Edward was standing against the opposite wall. His arms were crossed and there was a slight pinch at his brow. He raised dark eyes to meet mine.

I sighed internally, suddenly feeling defiant. _WHAT? How was I supposed to know that Bella would run off straight into werewolf territory?_

A deep growl rumbled through his chest. "Come with me," he seethed.

I pinched my lips together. _Fine_, I thought haughtily. Edward stalked behind me down the grand staircase and out the front door. I picked out the location he envisioned for us to talk and made my way there.

When we finally stopped, we were at a small enclosure. Trees framed in a small space where only ferns and moss grew, thick and velvety.

I lightly sat upon the damp earth, still not meeting Edward's glare.

We stayed in silence for a long time, neither of us speaking. I turned my mind to clothes and fabric and buttons and shoes, so as not to talk to him inadvertently through my thoughts.

Finally, he sighed in frustration and sat beside me, angrily pulling at some weeds.

I dared a glance in his direction and he caught me. _I didn't mean for it to happen_, I finally allowed myself to think.

Edward sighed again, but this time, it wasn't fueled by anger. It sounded empty, almost defeated.

I turned to face him fully. "What's really bothering you?" I asked more gently.

"She doesn't understand how much danger she's putting herself into," Edward said quietly.

I rubbed my chin, gazing up at the gray sky that peeked through the canopy of green and earthy brown above us. "No more than when she's with you."

The dark glare immediately returned to Edward's stare.

I rolled my eyes. "I've been around the kid, Edward. He wouldn't hurt Bella-"

"Not on purpose," he growled. "But it only takes one second of him not being in control-"

"Like us?" I countered, knowing that I was treading on thin ice.

Edward scowled, but remained silent.

I sighed and shifted closer to Edward and nudged his shoulder. I offered a small smile.

His dark eyes surveyed me closely. The purple shadows under his eyes were becoming pronounced.

I gently tapped his temple. "Hey, you need to take care of yourself. You can't expect to be Bella's savior if you're letting yourself go."

Edward softly batted my hand away, but nodded. "Carlisle mentioned something to me this morning... about having a better plan."

I nodded, remembering Carlisle's words from yesterday.

Edward picked at some more weeds growing under his feet. "I'll go hunting again this weekend – I'll make sure I feed enough to be tolerable." A small smirk tugged at his lips and then he gazed at me, something unreadable in his eyes. "I'm also willing to make a bargain."

I raised my eye brows. _A bargain?_ "What kind of bargain?" I asked.

Edward nodded thoughtfully. "I'd have to special order it from Los Angeles, but I'm sure we could get it here before I left…"

_A flash of yellow blazed through my mind. _

A huge grin split my lips. "Oh, Edward," I breathed… "Could you really?"

My brother smiled down at me. "Sure, why not… but of course, as long as you hold up your end of the deal."

I steadily held his gaze. "Which would be… watching over Bella while you're gone," I reasoned.

Edward tilted his head slight. "It would be more than watching. Whenever I have to leave town – you'll need to make arrangements for Bella to stay over. I'd really rather not leave her alone."

"She'll resist," I said evenly. "She'll be very angry with you."

He nodded. "I know. But it's a sacrifice that's willingly made on my part if I can have peace of mind that she's safe."

I bit my lip, chewing on it lightly as I thought. It was for Bella's own good. And I would finally have my beautiful piece of Italian machinery. Determined, I nodded.

_Deal_.

The next few days past with Edward and I making plans for the weekend. Edward decided that he couldn't have Bella sleeping on his black leather letcus, so he had me help him order a bed set. We finally selected a metal canopy bed, with intricate floral patterns and a soft, golden-orange silk bed set. We express-shipped everything for Wednesday delivery, even though it cost almost as much as the furniture. Edward was able to locate a Porsche dealer in Napa Valley that actually had my Turbo 911, in yellow, on his lot and was shipping it up to a dealership in Olympia for Edward to pick up Tuesday evening.

I was nearly bursting with joy on Tuesday night when Edward pulled up the drive in the Porsche. Jasper and Emmett stared at me in amusement as I bounced up and down in excitement. As soon as Edward stepped from the car, I launched myself into his arms and presented him with a sisterly kiss on the check.

He laughed good-naturedly and returned my embrace. "Now you know you really shouldn't be driving this around Forks."

I pouted, but knew he was right. Rosalie's convertible seemed a little too flashy for Forks – I could only imagine how heads would turn if my Turbo were to cruise down Main Street…

"Just a quick spin?" I pleaded, my foot itching to slam the accelerator to the ground. "A test drive, really."

Edward glanced at Carlisle, who nodded from the front porch. "Just don't head into town. Take the 101 South... but don't go too far."

I saluted like the good, obedience soldier I was and held out my palm for the keys. Edward dropped them into my hand and I twirled over to the driver's side.

Jasper step forward to occupy the passenger's seat, but Rosalie was already at the door, allowing herself in. "Ladies first," she quipped.

I glanced at Jasper and then shrugged apologetically before sliding into the driver's seat. I adjusted the seat to perfectly fit my height and then slid the key into the ignition. I almost squeaked with delight as the Porsche purred to life.

Rosalie smiled at me and then waved her hand forward. "What are we waiting for?"

By the time we were down the lane, I was already in second gear. I took the turn from our hidden drive onto the road at precarious speeds. Rosalie yelled in excitement as the rear tires spun for a moment before shooting us forward. Night began to fall around us as I expertly wove between cars, continuously increasing our speed. By the time we pulled off at a rest stop, we were half way to Portland and had reached a speed of 120 mph on the winding roads.

After a few moments, I turned the car around and headed back toward Forks. Rosalie and I drove in silence for a while, until I ventured to mention this weekend.

She nodded as I explained why Bella was going to stay the night. I glanced at her, concerned when she didn't say anything.

"Are you alright about this? I know you don't particularly like her-"

"It's not that, Alice," Rosalie said, quickly cutting me off. "It's fine, honestly. We'll have a nice girls-night-in while the boys are off hunting."

"Ok," I replied, not entirely convinced.

"What do you have planned?" she asked politely after a moment of silence.

I shrugged, keeping the speed of the Porsche at a more manageable 80 mph. "Oh, I don't know – facials and pedicures? What do girls now-a-days do at slumber parties?"

Rosalie laughed. "How am I supposed to know?"

I sighed, drumming my fingers against my lips. "Well, we could always go to Olympia Saturday… shopping, dinner… oh, dancing would be so much fun! But I supposed we would need the boys for that."

Rosalie smirked at me. "I don't think Bella is ready to go dancing with us."

I laughed. "No, I suppose not quite yet." I nodded to myself. "It's decided then. Pedicures Friday night and then we'll take her to Olympia on Saturday."

On Wednesday after school, a delivery was made to the Cullen house with Bella's bed. Edward allowed the delivery men to carry the bedding up the two flights of stairs to his room, but insisted on putting the bed together himself. Emmett helped Edward assemble the posts while Rosalie and I rearranged the rest of Edward's room. Rosalie adjusted Edward's letcus against the north-facing window while I organized his stereo beneath his wall of music. Once the bed had been erected, Edward and I made the bed with the new pale gold bedding.

My brother stepped back once we had finished and surveyed his room. He considered it for a moment and then nodded, satisfied.

Edward decided to leave a day early, as to not leave Bella alone over the weekend longer than he had to. Jasper and Emmett didn't argue and Carlisle rescheduled his hours at the hospital to make the accommodation.

Esme called Charlie Swan while we were at school on Thursday to make the arrangements for Bella to sleep at the Cullen house Thursday and Friday night. After hearing that Edward would be out of town with his father and brothers, touring colleges down in California, Charlie relented.

I borrowed Edward's Volvo and stopped by the Swan residence later that afternoon to gather some of Bella's belongings that she would need for a weekend stay. I collected the necessary toiletries from her small bathroom and then ventured into Bella's room to choose her wardrobe. I frowned as I surveyed her closet, fingering the plaid and thermal shirts that lined the small space. As that was about the extent of her clothes, I glumly made a selection and folded them neatly in a travel bag I had brought with me. I made a mental note to make some purchases at Olympia on Friday to expand the limited wardrobe Bella had.

I quickly stopped by our house to drop off Bella's belonging and then headed toward the Newton's store to pick up Bella when her shift ended at 7. I arrived a few minutes early and began to riffle through the assortment of cd's Edward had stored in his car. I located a band I had never heard of before and slid the cd into the player. I tapped my finger against the plastic case as I studied the cover art for the band_ Fitz & the Tantrums_. I decided I liked it and flipped open the case to read the lyrics.

I had all of the lyrics memorized by the time Bella wandered into the parking lot. I pushed the passenger door open and flicked the volume knob to increase the beats of _Fitz & the Tantrums_. Bella walked over to the Volvo and slide into the passenger seat.

"Hey Alice. Where's your brother?" Bella shouted, a slightly puzzled expression on her face.

I simply smiled at her, waiting for her to shut her door. After a moment, she slammed the passenger door shut and clicked her seatbelt into place. Bella raised her hands to cover her ears against the blare of the music.

I chuckled and lowered the volume of the music before quickly hitting the locks and turning out of the parking lot quickly.

Bella's puzzled expression grew perplexed. "Alice…" she said slowly, her tone only slightly accusing. "What's going on? Where's Edward?"

I kept my eyes on the road ahead of me as I navigated the streets of Forks. "They left early," I offered.

"Oh," she said, disappointment clearly hanging on her word.

I suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Edward should have said goodbye before he left. It wasn't fair to simply leave her like this. I composed myself, forcing myself to be overly cheery. "All the boys went and we're having a slumber party!"

Bella gawked at me for a moment before repeating, "Slumber party?"

"Aren't you excited?"

I could clearly tell she was not from the glare she threw me. "You're kidnapping me, aren't you?" She snapped, fury causing her face to flush pink.

"Till Saturday," I admitted. "Esme cleared it with Charlie; you're staying with me two nights and I'll drive you to and from school tomorrow." I tried to smile reassuringly at her, but Bella had turned away from me, no doubt to glare out the window.

I tapped the steering wheel with my thumb. "Sorry… he paid me off," I tried to explain.

Bella's jaw clenched. "How?" she almost growled.

I wanted to laugh at how much she reminded me of Edward in that moment, but I refrained, knowing it wouldn't help the situation. "The Porsche." Bella knew which one – the gorgeous Turbo 911, just like the one I had hotwired and driving across the Italian countryside. "I'm not supposed to drive it around Forks, but if you want, we could see how long it takes to get from here to L.A. – I bet I could have you back by midnight!"

"I think I'll pass," Bella seethed.

We fell into silence as I drove the rest of the way to our house. I noticed Bella glance down our line of cars in the garage and hoped, more than believed, that she might have forgiven me for playing along with my brother's kidnapping scheme.

Once we had parked, I hopped out and went to the Porsche, stoking the smooth exterior and glanced at Bella. "Pretty, isn't it?"

"Pretty-over-the-top," Bella muttered. She rolled her eyes. "He gave you that just for two days of holding me hostage?"

I faltered for a moment, hating to lie to her.

Bella noticed. She stared at me, her eyes pleading with me to say it wasn't true. But I couldn't. "It's for every time he's gone, isn't it?" she said through tight lips.

I nodded.

Bella's cheeks were flushed pink again as her face twisted into a scowl. She grabbed her book bag from the Volvo and slammed the door shut, stalking toward the house.

I sighed, running my fingers over my brow. This was going to be a long weekend.


	5. Ch 5: Another Slip

**Into the Dark**

**Eclipse, Alice's Story**

**Author: Arwens-light**

_**Chapter 5: Another Slip…**_

**Rating: T **

**Author's Note: Okay. I think I am finally at a break in my personal life to get the next couple chapters knocked out pretty fast. So here's hoping I can get the next few posted by the end of this month! So thank you so much to all those of you who have read my story, reviewed and/or added me to favorites or story alerts. I want to thank especially my reviewers - bmthespian, joayla, bananafox, Danalynn and****Louey06****. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Stephenie Meyer owns all. NO copyright infringement intended. Some of the dialog taken from "Eclipse" Movie. **

The evening passed quickly. Bella's anger toward me faded eventually. Esme bought dinner for Bella from her favorite Italian restaurant in Port Angeles – mushroom ravioli and cannolis. As we watched the 1968 version of _Romeo and Juliet_, Bella reluctantly allowed me to give her a pedicure. Rosalie even came downstairs to watch the movie with us.

Once the movie ended, Bella insisted on using the phone to make a call. I reluctantly handed over my cellphone and listened apprehensively as Bella called Jacob Black. He was less than thrilled when she cancelled her Saturday plans with him. I stared at her, incredulously, as she attempted to keep their conversation light. What exactly was going on here? Jacob might be Bella's friend, but this didn't seem right… the sneaking around, making secret plans. I studied Bella carefully, trying to figure out what exactly she was thinking.

After Bella said good night to Jacob, and left an angry voicemail on my brother's phone, I lead Bella upstairs to Edward's bedroom, where her new bed stood ready for her. Upon ending the room, she froze. The look of frustration and anger that crossed her face confused me.

"He wasn't going to make you sleep on the couch," I told her, looking at her curiously.

I woke Bella up at half past five for school on Friday. While she showered and dressed for school, Esme and I were busy downstairs making her breakfast. In our zeal to make her a wonderful spread, we made a bit too much. When Bella appeared in the kitchen, she immediately began to laugh.

"I can't possibly eat all of this myself!" she explained, waving her hand toward the stacks of pancakes, platter of scrambled eggs, links of breakfast sausages and strips of bacon, bowl of tropical fruit and pile of blueberry muffins.

Esme smiled at her and shrugged. "Anything that you don't eat, I'll take down to the Methodist soup kitchen. They're used to me randomly showing up with large quantities of food."

Tentatively, Bella filled a small plate with some eggs and fruit and stood at the kitchen counter, slowly eating her breakfast. She kept glancing up at us, her face blushing profusely. I tried not to stare at her as she ate her breakfast, but I couldn't help noticing the dark circles under her eyes. Apparently she hadn't slept very well. Finally, she set down her plate, only half eaten, and left the kitchen, muttering under her breath about feeling like an animal at a zoo.

She retrieved her schoolbag from the living room and followed me outside. A soft drizzle of fine rain misted through the air as we trudged our way through the yard to the garage. We took Edward's Volvo, the least conspicuous of the Cullen's car collection and headed to school.

Bella was silent as I drove down the highway towards town. Her feet rested on the dashboard and she drummed her fingers against her legs. She avoided eye contact with me, and instead, focused her attention straight ahead at the road.

I sighed softly. "Tonight we'll go out to Olympia or something," I said, trying to be reassuring. "That would be fun, right?"

Bella's scowl deepened. "Why don't you just lock me in the basement and forget the sugar coating?"

I frowned at Bella, my own frustration beginning to bubble up. "He's going to take the Porsche back," I muttered to myself, carefully pulling into the Forks High School parking lot. "I'm not doing a very good job. You're supposed to be having fun." I parked the car and shut off the engine. We both sat in silence for a moment, watching as our peers made their way through the damp weather to the school buildings.

Bella rubbed her forehead, her eyes squeezed shut. "It's not your fault," she said softly before grabbing her backpack and sliding out of the car. She glanced up at me and nodded goodbye. "I'll see you at lunch."

I watched as Bella threw the hood of her jacket over her rich brunette hair and walked quickly toward the English building. I sighed, rubbing at my temple, wondering if I should be worried. She had promised me last night that she won't sneak off and I couldn't see her attempting anything of the sort. Finally, I gathered up my bag and headed to Calculus.

The class session consisted of a review of the last two chapters of study. I periodically checked on Bella, but from what I could see, she was still safely seated in her English class. Angela was taking notes beside me furiously. I didn't have to be an empath to feel the waves of anxiety rolling off her. Once the bell rang, I turned to her, kindly placing my hand over her wrist to stop her writing.

"Angela, calm down."

She raised her dark brown eyes to mine, the emotion under her glasses reading true horror. "Alice, I'm so behind – I didn't understand a thing from the last chapter we studied!"

I smiled reassuringly at her. "Don't worry – you understand more than you think. If it will help, we can get together before the final and study."

She sighed and slowly shut her book. "That would be great. Maybe you can help explain some of these formulas to me…"

We gathered our books and made our way out of the warm classroom into the cool midmorning air. We were chit-chatting about which exams we were more concerned about and our upcoming graduation when a commotion in the parking lot stopped us in front of the cafeteria entrance. We glanced curiously toward the parking lot, where the loud rumble of an engine had a large group of students congregated.

I saw someone running toward the parking lot and suddenly everything clicked. Jacob Black was waiting for Bella in the parking lot. And she was getting on the back of his bike.

My mouth dropped open in shock, my hands curling into tight fists. _How could she do this? How could she do this to Edward?_

We watched as Jacob and Bella sped out of the parking lot and quickly disappeared from view.

Angela slowly turned to me. "Was that Jacob Black that Bella just rode off with?"

I had to choke back a growl. "Yes," I said darkly.

Angela raised her eyebrows in a knowing manner.

"What?" I asked a little too harshly.

Angela started at my abruptness and then quickly shook her head. "It's nothing…"

This time, I didn't call anyone. I watched Bella walk away, more like run, into the arms of danger. This was her choice. I couldn't do anything to stop it. Jacob had chosen his timing perfectly – in a public place, with a large group of spectators watching on. I wouldn't have been able to stop Bella, maybe not even if I had seen it coming.

I wasn't completely reckless – throughout the rest of the day, I kept my eye on every possible avenue to danger. I scanned the area for any sign of Victoria. I constantly checked in on Bella to see if her future had reappeared to me. I tried to keep an eye on the treaty line to see if I could find any gap with this damn vision-blocking the wolves had against me. And lastly, I turned my attention occasionally to Aro. Any sign of Volturi movement was a bad sign. But, as it had been for the past several months, Aro's decisions never brought him outside of the Italian countryside. For now, at least, it seemed that the Volturi was content to leave the Cullen problem alone for the time being.

If Angela noticed that I was distracted for the rest of the school day, she didn't mention it. We exchanged a quiet goodbye at the end of the day and went our separate ways.

The persistent rain was still coming down when I pulled into the garage at the Cullen house. Despite the weather and my expensive wardrobe, I decided to take a run around the county, just to make sure nothing was slipping through the painfully obvious holes in my vision. About a mile into my run, I regretted not exchanging my Yves Saint Laurent ankle boots for something sturdier that would have been better suited for the two inches of mud I was treading through.

I sighed heavily as I pressed on. I carefully evaluated my surroundings as Jasper had taught me many years ago. Sight was too heavily relied upon. I strained my ears to search for any unusual sounds and deeply breathed in the cool, earthy air for any hint for an unusual scent. Nothing strange turned up.

Eventually, I came to the ravine that we had chased Victoria down, only several weeks earlier. The rain and damp weather had long since washed away any of her scent, but for a moment, I lingered, staring to the north where she had disappeared.

Victoria was a very hard one for me to predict. The flashes I had caught of her were scattered and very rarely made any sense. Even now, the only glimmer I could catch of her was a streak of her fiery red hair, cascading over her shoulder as she lounged on an old, worn and faded sofa in the middle of a bare room.

A whisper of a sound snapped me out of my reverie. Rosalie appeared from the underbrush and came to stand beside me.

We were quiet for a long while before Rosalie broke the silence. "Where's Bella?" she asked, gazing across the expanse toward the Indian Reservation.

I glanced at Rosalie. "She went to the dark side."

Rosalie nodded but kept her gaze forward.

I paused and then ventured to ask, "Does this have anything to do with what you were talking to Bella about last night?"

Rosalie turned sharply toward me, her gaze hard. "No," she said firmly. "I think this has more to do with you and Edward conspiring to keep Bella under lock and key."

I frowned at her. "That is _not_ fair – we're doing what we think is safest for Bella."

She snorted and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "What's safest for Bella is that Newton kid – definitely not Edward or that wolf-boy."

That I couldn't refute. The safest alternative for Bella would be to remain in the normal, human world. But Edward had tried to force that on her once and it hadn't ended so well… and definitely could have ended up worse than it did.

I sighed and ran my hand through my damp hair. "Bella doesn't seem to pay much attention to what's best or safest for her."

Rosalie remained silent, her eyes losing focus. Finally, she nudged my arm and nodded her head back toward town. "Come on," she said softly. "Let's get back home."

Dusk was already starting fall when Bella's future suddenly sprang back into my vision.

_Bella flew down the wet highway at unsafe speeds on an old red Honda motorbike. The destination in her mind was clearly the Cullen house._

I relaxed… at little. Edward was still going to be furious with me when he found out what happened. Which meant my present was being taken back. And I'd be lucky if Bella didn't catch pneumonia after her rain-soaked drive down the Pacific coast. But she was alive.

I wandered out to the garage to say goodbye to my beautiful Italian sports car. I softly ran my hands over its glossy yellow paint, following the curves and lines of the car. I sighed and then carefully settled on the hood of the Porsche, trying to savor the last minutes when it would be mine.

A few minutes later I heard the rumble of a small engine making its way up the road. At the end of the lane, I heard gravel spin under an unstable tire. Bella wobbled on the bike and was just able to upright it before she relented and dismounted. She readjusted her hood to shield her face from the rain and then wearily wheeled the bike into the covered garage.

Her eyes were red-rimmed and teary when she entered the garage and Bella quickly looked away from me, her pale face flushing with embarrassment.

"I haven't even had a chance to drive it," I quipped, stoking the gorgeous vehicle beneath my fingertips, trying to relieve some of the tension that filled the air. Okay, so that was a bit of a lie, but I hadn't really gotten to drive it… not like it was meant to be driven, not like it should have been driven.

Bella shivered, her wet hair plastered to her forehead. "S-sorry," she chattered as she tapped the kickstand and brought the bike to rest beside Edward's Volvo.

I hopped down from the Porsche and quickly took Bella's shaking hand. "You look like you could use a hot shower," I said, guiding her toward the house.

"Yes," she shivered again.

I pulled her inside the warm kitchen and then paused, searching her pale face. She was clearly emotionally stressed. "Do you want to talk about it?" I ventured.

"Nope," Bella replied, staring straight ahead.

I guided her into the downstairs bathroom and handed her a towel. "Do you want to go to Olympia tonight?" I asked, thinking perhaps she would want a distraction.

Bella glared at me for a moment and then sighed, rubbing her forehead wearily. "Not really. Can't I go home?" she asked, her eyes pleading up at me.

I frowned at her, knowing that Edward would not be pleaded if I let her out of my sight.

She read my expression like a book and sighing, began to towel off her hair. "Never mind, Alice," she muttered. She wiped her face free from rain. "I'll stay if it makes things easier for you," she conceded. "I'm going to bed," Bella said softly, pushing passed me and heading up the grand staircase.

I gazed after her and settled myself on the bottom of the stairs, waiting for my brother to return home.


	6. Ch 6: Redirection

**Into the Dark**

**Eclipse, Alice's Story**

**Author: Arwens-light**

_**Chapter 6: Redirection**_

**Rating: T **

**Author's Note: I want to thank especially my reviewers – L.A.H.H., bmthespian, joayla, bananafox, alicefan32, ****Louey06, and Shadowmaster2323****. I also want to apologize about my inability to post anything quickly… just when I think one aspect of my life is going to settle down, things begin to get way too complicated and crazy in another… so I hope you like this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Stephenie Meyer owns all. NO copyright infringement intended. Some of the dialog taken from "Eclipse" Book. **

The moment I want to see the future, I usually can, unless a decision is still lingering or if some unknown variable has not played out yet. However, despite my insight, I still cannot see the inner-thoughts or motivate behind someone's actions, like Edward can. Which is why my brother's reaction to the discovery that Bella had, yet again, slipped passed my (somewhat failing, of late) watchful eye, confounded me.

_Edward stood calmly in front of me, listening to the story play out in my head. He then nodded, and turning swiftly, disappeared upstairs. _

The odor of dog permeated through the house. It would be impossible for Edward, or any of the others to miss it, regardless of our feeble attempts to air out the house by opening almost every window. Rose had excused herself from the house, choking and gagging, swearing that the smell was suffocating her.

I had gotten Bella to take a hot shower and sent her off to bed, smelling like strawberries thanks to her shampoo. So at least Edward wouldn't come home to Bella smelling like a wet canine.

Esme and I did a quick house cleaning and finished up just as headlights shown through the window.

My maternal-figure smiled kindly at me before tucking a stray strand of caramel-colored hair behind her ear and walking outside to greet her husband.

I stood on the porch, watching as Esme welcomed Carlisle back home with a soft kiss. Emmett easily hoisted a bag of camping equipment from the back of his Jeep and slinging it over his broad shoulder, carried it into the garage to clean and pack away. From the corner of my eye, I saw Rosalie leaning against her red corvette. She threw Emmett a small grin as he walked passed her, but her eyes remained on Edward.

I glanced to my brother, who was making himself busy by sorting through his hiking pack. Jasper handed Edward another bag from the back of the Jeep and then lightly jumped to the ground.

Jasper approached me, his focus slightly distracted as his senses altered him that something was off. He lightly touched my hand as he passed. I gave him a knowing look. He nodded, his damp dark blonde hair falling into his eyes as he turned and disappeared into the house. Esme and Carlisle also retreated from the night, happily talking about California and the wonderful, overcast weather they had the fortune of on their trip.

Edward remained at the Jeep, unpacking and repacking items into his bag. I heard Rosalie give a little sigh of frustration before withdrawing into the garage. As soon as she had disappeared, Edward glanced darkly in her direction. He slowly turned from the vehicle, slinging his pack over his shoulder. His gaze finally rose to meet mine.

We stared at each other for a long moment, neither of us speaking.

My vision of Edward's reaction to what I had said terrified me to my very core. Usually he had an outburst of anger or other passionate emotion. This silent, faceless reaction was undoing me. But finally, I began to reflect on the events of the day.

In faint light cast from the porch light, I studied Edward's face as my mind ran through the events that had unfolded since his departure.

_Bella's anger at being held against her will..._

_Her odd reaction to the bed we had set up for her in Edward's room…_

_The uncomfortable drive to school this morning…_

_The unexpected visitor that showed up at Forks High School…_

_Bella running across the pavement to hop on the back of Jacob Black's bike…_

_And finally, Bella arriving back at our house, completely soaked from head-to-toe, teeth chattering and refusing to speak about what had transpired while she was on the Reservation. _

When I was done, we remaining where we were – simply standing, staring at each other. Finally, Edward sighed, running a hand through his copper hair. His eyes drifted to the ground, his face remaining stoic and expressionless.

_I'm sorry,_ I thought, the guilt of failing yet again weighing heavy on my unbeating heart.

His golden eyes flitted back up to mine. He gave me a small, half-hearted smile. "It's not your fault," he muttered softly. "She has her own mind – we can't keep her in a cage."

I shook my head. "I know, but if something had happened –"

"But it didn't," Edward said firmly, a brief flicker of passion flashing in his eyes. "I won't repeat this mistake… I'm holding onto her so tight, trying to keep her safe and out of danger at any cost, that I'll lose her if I continue… and I can't risk that."

We stared at each other in silence for a moment.

Finally, Edward moved, slinging his camping bag over his shoulder and stepping toward me. He gently gripped my wrist and then released it. "You better hunt soon," he said softly. "Don't want to over-stretch yourself."

I nodded. Edward turned and disappeared into the house. I gazed over the misty yard absentmindedly.

Jasper dropped to the ground behind me. He gently took my elbow and tugged me to him. He kissed me softly on the tip of my nose. "I missed you," he said tenderly, resting his forehead against mine.

A ghost of a smile touched my lips. "I knew you would come back to me."

"Even still," Jasper whispered, his lips brushing against my temple, traveling down to my neck. He placed a final kiss on my shoulder and then pulled me from the porch. "Come on, let's hunt. You look thirsty."

The cares and burdens of the world were quickly left behind as we flew into the cover of the forest. The dark blue sky with its twinkling stars were almost drowned out by the thick tree branches overhead.

About five miles into the forest, we came upon a herd of deer that had just finished its twilight feeding. Jasper let me take the lead buck, which I greedily drank dry. After I had had my fill, I dropped to the ground and lay still, staring up at the night sky. I felt Jasper lay down beside me on the moss amid the large Pacific ferns. His hand sought my hand and he loosely intertwined his fingers in mine.

"Tell me about your trip," I said softly, my eyes closing.

"It stormed the entire time we were there, like you said it would. We had plenty of cloud cover during the day." Jasper began to paint a picture, adding his own emotions into the mix. The suspicion of the hikers that came too close to the hunting area, the anticipation of the hunt, and the thrill of the chase. The final pleasure of satisfaction.

"Emmett ruined the new shirt you got me," Jasper said after a brief pause. I frowned. I had so many things I was trying to watch that I hadn't caught that. "We saw a young male bear and he got overly excited. He shoved passed me into a thicket as he was heading down the ravine to head it off. Edward tried to pull me out without damaging it further, but it was already pretty torn."

I rolled over toward Jasper. I trailed small kisses along his jaw.

"You're not upset?" he asked, looking down at me.

I shook my head. "It was a nice shirt, but I can always by you another one. Besides, I rather like the idea of you shirtless." I smirked up at him before falling into a fit of giggles as he proceeded to tickle me.

The morning sun rose, a dim glow on the horizon. When Jasper and I arrived back at the house, everyone was downstairs. Bella was up, eating breakfast in the kitchen while Edward watched her across the counter.

_Ew, don't be such a creep, Edward_, I thought, laughing to myself.

My brother rolled his eyes before sheepishly turned his attention toward Esme. He asked her about the blueprints she was working on and listened a little too enthusiastically while she went over every detail.

Jasper collapsed into a large arm chair and pulled me down with him. Emmett was lounging in the living room with a sports channel droning in the background. Rosalie sat on the back of the sofa, gloomily surveying the rest of the family.

Carlisle appeared from the kitchen, a fresh bowl of muffins in his hands. "Care for another, Bella?" Carlisle offered, presenting her with a wide variety.

She blinked and then blushed, shaking her head.

"Not even for the road?" Esme asked, turning in her chair.

Edward laughed and then went to Bella's aid, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulder. "It's okay," he whispered. "They're a little rusty on portion sizes of human food."

Bella's eyebrows shot up and she blushed fiercely. "It's okay," she muttered.

I lightly rose from Jasper's lap and took the bowl from Carlisle. I gathered the contents in a large cloth napkin and tied it off with a bow. "A breakfast gift, for Charlie," I told her, smiling brightly.

"Sure," Bella said, taking the bundle from my gasp. "Charlie must be starving without me."

Edward couldn't keep Bella from noticing the pained expression that crossed his face.

"Of course he's fine though. He'll be fine without me," she said quietly, mostly to herself.

Before the atmosphere could get more uncomfortable, I announced that I was taking Bella home to Charlie and that Edward should get ready to pick her up. Edward smirked at me and then kissed Bella softly on the forehead. "I'll see you in a little while," he reassured her.

Bella and I were quiet as we drove through the early morning mist. The weak sunlight barely broke through the gray clouds that were beginning to form overhead. I pulled the Volvo up to the Swan residence and let the car idle while Bella gathered her belongings.

"So… thanks for the slumber party," Bella said. "But next time, a little more free-will in the situation would be nice."

I chuckled and nodded. "I'll try," I told her, "but no promises…"

Bella sighed, but offered me a small smile. "I'll see you later," she called as she trudged up the walk.

Charlie peaked around the curtains as Bella fought with her key in the lock at the front door. He smiled when he caught sight of me and waved a morning greeting. I waved back as I slowly turned the car and headed back toward the Cullen house.

Once back at the house, I went upstairs to my bedroom and began to change. The clothes I had worn out hunting last night were soiled with wet earth and other various forms of dirt. I quickly rinsed my pale skin and then pulled on some black tights. After searching my closet, I selected a yellow wrap summer dress and oversize paisley scarf. I brushed my fingers through my short black hair, trying to smooth down the wild strands.

Jasper appeared in the doorway, a soft smile on his lips as he watched me primp in front of my floor to ceiling mirror.

I gave him a little smirk and twirled for him. "What do you think?"

"You'd look beautiful in a paper bag," he said, his eyes raking over my body, from my stocking feet to the top of my unruly hair.

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't keep the smile from betraying my satisfaction. Not that I could have ever hidden my true feelings from Jasper.

Jasper held his hand out and I slipped mine into his. He twirled me around again and then pulled me close. His lips grazed my temple and then my ear before his lips began to trail down my neck.

"JASPER!"

Emmett's voice bellowed out from downstairs. There wasn't a playful tone in Emmett's voice. Jasper had turned on his heels and was sprinting downstairs before I made it out the door.

"Edward needs us," I heard Emmett tell Jasper from the front yard. "Someone's been at Bella's. We've got to sweep the woods behind her house and see if we can pick up a trail."

Jasper turned and glanced at me for a moment, eyes searching mine for some recognition or insight into the situation.

I stared back at him blankly. Someone… a vampire… had been at Bella's? How was this possible? I was watching Victoria's decisions and the hierarchical members of the Volturi, namely Aro – and none of them had made a decision to pay Bella a visit.

I felt Esme's hands gently guide me into a chair. I vacantly stared at the grainy wood of the antique oak dining room table. How had this happened? Never, in the almost century of my existence, had I missed something like this, especially since I was looking out for almost everything that could impact Bella. But maybe that was it. I was trying to watch too many futures at once. And I was beginning to crack.

"Alice?" I heard Esme's voice ask me. "Alice, are you okay?"

I rubbed a hand over my eyes. "I need my shoes," I said faintly, pushing myself back from the table.

"I'll get them," Rosalie said quickly. Before I could protest, I heard her rummaging around upstairs in my closet.

Esme pushed some hair from my eyes. "Alice, it's okay. It's not your fault."

I shook my head. "How did this happen?"

Rosalie held out my newly cleaned ankle boots. I took them from her and slipped them on. "I brought down a cardigan for you as well," Rose said, handing me the soft, black sweater.

"Thank you, Rose," I said quietly. I kissed her cheek and she pulled me into a brief hug.

Carlisle appeared in the doorway. "Edward and Bella are here," he announced.

"Come on girls," Esme said, and ushered us into the living room. Everyone else took a seat but I remained standing, rigidly facing the doorway, preparing myself for the attack that was about to transpire.

Edward threw the front door open and stormed into the living room. I drew myself up to my full height and folded my arms over my chest, steeling myself.

"What happened?" Edward demanded, glaring down at me.

For a moment, I was glad that Jasper was out of the house to avoid this confrontation – otherwise, I'm sure it would not have gone unanswered by my husband.

I stared up into Edward's livid eyes. "I have no idea," I growled back at him. "I didn't see anything."

"How is that possible?" Edward's voice was sharp and bitter.

Bella hovered in the hallway behind him, her eyes wide and tentative. "Edward," Bella said in a disapproving tone.

Carlisle rose and approached us calmly. "It's not an exact science, Edward," he pointed out.

Edward turned angry eyes toward his father-figure. "He was in her room. Alice," he growled, turning back to face me, "he could have still been there – waiting for her."

I clinched my jaw. "I would have seen that," I said through tight lips. I felt Rosalie move and come to stand behind me. I appreciated her unspoken support.

"Really? You're sure?" Edward said, his eyes narrowed and untrusting.

I wanted to rip his throat out and I didn't care if he knew it.

"You've already got me watching the Volturi's decisions, watching for Victoria's return, watching Bella's every step. You want to add another? Do I just have to watch Charlie, or Bella's room or the house, or the whole street, too? Edward, if I try to do too much, things are going to start slipping through the cracks."

"It looks like they already are," Edward said, his tone biting.

I bit my lip in anger. "She was never in any danger," I insisted, never moving my eyes from his. "There was _nothing_ to see."

"If you're watching Italy, why didn't you see them send-"

"I don't think it's them. I would have seen that, Edward."

"Who else would leave Charlie alive?" Edward challenged, towering over me.

"I don't know," I said, trying to compose the growing anger inside of me.

"Helpful," Edward sneered.

"Stop it, Edward," Bella commanded softly behind him.

Edward turned and stared at Bella for a moment. "You're right, Bella, I'm sorry." My brother turned back to me. "Forgive me, Alice. I shouldn't be taking this out on you. That was inexcusable."

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. "I understand. I'm not happy about it either," I reassured him.

Edward nodded and pulled Bella protectively to his side on the sofa. "Okay, let's look at this logically. What are the possibilities?"

"Victoria?" Carlisle suggested.

Edward and I immediately shook our heads at the same time. "No," he said. "I didn't know the scent. He might have been from the Volturi, someone I've never met…"

"Aro hasn't asked anyone to look for her yet. I _will_ see that," I insisted. "I'm waiting for it."

Edward's head snapped up and a fire flashed through his eyes. "You're watching for an official command?"

I frowned at Edward. "You think someone's acting on their own?" I challenged. "Why?"

"Caius's idea," Edward mused, gazing off through the large glass window.

I nodded, catching onto Edward's thought. "Or Jane's…. They both have the resources to send an unfamiliar face…"

"And the motivation," Edward said darkly.

Carlisle frowned, studying us.

Esme shook her head, sitting beside Edward and Bella on the sofa. "It doesn't make sense, though. If whoever it was meant to wait for Bella, Alice would have seen that. He – or she – had no intention of hurting Bella. Or Charlie, for that matter," Esme pointed out. She placed a comforting hand on Bella's shoulder. "It's going to be fine, Bella," Esme said soothingly.

"But what was the point then," Carlisle asked, staring into the surrounding forest.

"Checking to see if I'm still human?" Bella offered.

"Hm… possible," Carlisle said, running a hand through his hair.

Rosalie and I turned toward the doorway as Emmett and Jasper entered the house through the back kitchen door.

Bella jumped slightly as Emmett roughly shut the door.

"Long gone, hours ago," Emmett informed us, shaking damp and dirt from his hair. "The trail went East, then South, and disappeared on a side road. Had a car waiting."

"That's bad luck. If he'd gone West… well, it would be nice for those dogs to make themselves useful," Edward mused. Bella frowned at Edward, disappointment shining in her eyes.

My eyes followed Jasper as he stepped to Carlisle's shoulder. "Neither of us recognized him. But here; maybe you know the scent," Jasper said, offering Carlisle a broken fern.

Carlisle breathed in the scent carefully but shook his head. "No, not familiar. No one I've ever met."

Esme patted Bella's shoulder. "Perhaps we're looking at this the wrong way. Maybe it's a coincidence…" Esme halted at several skeptical expressions that stared back at her, but held up her hand to hold back comments. "I don't mean a coincidence that a stranger happened to pick Bella's house to visit at random. I meant that maybe someone was just curious. Our scent is all around her. Was he wondering what draws us there, perhaps?"

I shook my head slowly. _That didn't fit. There was something else at play here_…

"Why wouldn't he just come here then, if he was curious?" Emmett asked, confused.

"You would," Esme said affectionately, "but the rest of us aren't always so direct. Our family is very large – he or she might be frightened. But Charlie wasn't harmed. This doesn't have to be an enemy."

Edward and I glanced at each other. "I don't think so," I said, speaking for both of us. "The timing of it was too perfect. This visitor was so careful to make no contact. Almost like he or she knew that I would see…" I frowned, staring down at my boots. _Like someone was playing to the weakness of my visions_…

"He could have other reasons for not making contact," Esme offered, desperate to find an alternative explanation.

Bella suddenly spoke up. "Does it really matter who it was? Just the chance that someone was looking for me… isn't that reason enough?" She took a deep breath and finally turned to face Edward. "We shouldn't wait for graduation."

"No, Bella," Edward said, "it's not that bad… if you're really in danger, we'll know."

_That's not what you said five minutes ago_, I reminded him mentally. _She won't let this go, Edward. _

But Carlisle stepped up to defend Edward's point. "Think of Charlie; think of how it would hurt him if you disappeared."

"I _am_ thinking of Charlie!" Bella burst, her face growing red and her brown eyes brimming with tears. "He's the one I'm worried about! What if my little guest had happened to be thirsty last night? As long as I'm around Charlie, he's a target, too. If anything happened to him, it would be all my fault!" she gasped.

Esme smoothed her hair, shushing her. "Hardly, Bella. And nothing will happen to Charlie. We're just going to have to be more careful."

"_More_ careful?" she choked, tears rolling down her cheeks.

I bit back my own doubt to offer her a comforting word. But Bella was right… how were we going to be more careful with her? Aside from locking her up and throwing away the key. I glanced at Edward.

_This was going to get a lot worse before it got better. _


	7. Ch 7: Preparing for the Worst

**Into the Dark**

**Eclipse, Alice's Story**

**Author: Arwens-light**

_**Chapter 7: Preparing for the Worst**_

**Rating: T **

**Author's Note: I want to thank especially my reviewers – L.A.H.H., bmthespian, joayla, bananafox, alicefan32, ****Louey06, and Shadowmaster2323****. I also want to apologize about my inability to post anything quickly… just when I think one aspect of my life is going to settle down, things begin to get way too complicated and crazy in another… so I hope you like this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Stephenie Meyer owns all. NO copyright infringement intended. Some of the dialog taken from "Eclipse" Book. **

_This was going to get a lot worse before it got better. _

Emmett and I took the first watch that night outside Charlie and Bella's house. The rain was soft, creating a gentle mist throughout the surrounding forest. We stood, soldiers, silent and pensive as we guarded the Swan residence.

Carlisle and Edward had decided that any watches only needed to last through the darkest hours of the night. Once the day began to break, the dangers were reduced enough that extra protection was not needed. As soon as the soft gray of the approaching dawn began to chase away the gloom of night, Emmett slowly nudged my arm, signaling that he was ready to return home.

Emmett and I trudged back to the Cullen house, our clothes soaked through. Esme greeted us at the front door with large towels. Emmett wrapped Esme into a bear hug, lifting her off her feet and twirling her around. Esme glowed with affection as Emmett set her down and I'm sure that if there had been human blood in her cheeks, she would have blushed.

Emmett fiercely rubbed his rich chocolate curls dry as he wandered into the living room. Hearing a television correspondence drone on, I followed after him. Carlisle, Rosalie and Jasper were gathered in front of the large plasma screen, intently focused on the new anchor that was reporting live from a crime scene in a warehouse off the Port of Seattle.

I perched on the arm of the chair Jasper was sitting in and gently laid my hand on his shoulder. His hand quietly grasped mine as his eyes stayed sharply focused on the horrific scene unfolding before us.

It had appeared that someone had attempted to set fire to an old, abandoned warehouse down on the water. The fire department had arrived on scene in the early hours of the morning, hoping to simply contain the reported fire. They had quickly been able to tame the flames and upon further investigation inside the building, had discovered something truly terrible – almost half a dozen dead bodies.

Some of the bodies were partially burned, but all were broken, beaten and covered in blood.

The Seattle Police had deemed it the work of a serial killer.

Emmett emitted a low growl. "Someone needs to teach these goddamn newborns a thing or two about the world we live in."

Esme frowned at Emmett. "Maybe they don't have a teacher. Alice didn't have anyone when she first turned. Perhaps they just don't know better…"

"This needs to be settled quickly though," Jasper said, a slight vibration of tension giving away his anxiousness from his calm state. "Otherwise it will draw other's attention."

Carlisle pulled his phone from his jeans pocket and quickly dialed Edward's number. We had all seen enough. We knew it wasn't the work of a human.

"Edward," Carlisle said calmly once he had answered the phone. "This situation in Seattle is getting a lot worse than we initially thought. It appears to be the work of vampires – young ones. Perhaps even newborns. The deaths are incredibly sloppy – bodies haphazardly thrown into dumpsters or poorly constructed "accidents" ..."

He paused, listening to Edward speak. We heard Edward explain to Carlisle through the static of the phone that the stranger that had entered Bella's bedroom had taken at least one of her shirts and possibly other objects from her room.

Carlisle's frown deepened as he listened to Edward explain the situation. He sighed and passed his hand over his brow. "At this moment, I cannot give you an explanation as to why this visitor would have taken items from Bella's room. It is something that we will need to look into. Sooner rather than later." Carlisle glanced toward Emmett before continuing. "I believe your brothers are keen on taking a trip up to Seattle to see if they can sort the situation out."

He paused against briefly before bidding Edward a quick farewell. Carlisle carefully placed his phone back in his pocket before slowly turning to me. "Alice, I know that you're already overexerting yourself, but could you see if you can keep any eye on Aro's intensions with Seattle? At this time, that seems to be our only plausible connection to how the possible newborns up in Seattle could affect our situation with the Volturi."

I pursed my lips for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I'll keep an eye out for any decisions Aro might make about Seattle."

Jasper's hand came to rest on my knees. "Come on," my husband said softly. "Let's go for a run."

Emmett immediately looked over to us. "Mind if I come? I'd love to stretch my legs and grab a bite after a long night of standing guard…"

Jasper chuckled and nodded. "Sure, the more, the merrier." He smoothly rose from his chair and disappeared into the mudroom off the kitchen to retrieve our boots.

Emmett and I meet Jasper on the front porch. We pulled on our thick hiking boots and tightened the laces. Then, without warning, Jasper and Emmett sprinted off, racing into the dense forest.

The soft click of heels caused me to look up. Rosalie stood over me for a moment, looking hesitant before asking, "Are you okay?"

I nodded. "Sure. What's one more thing for the psychic to add to her list?"

Rosalie's soft hand rubbed my shoulder gently. "You can tell them no. That it's too much for you to keep an eye on. It's unreasonable to place all of this on you."

I slowly shook my head, standing to my feet. "No," I answered. "I can't say no…" _Not now, not with all that could go wrong..._

I jumped off the porch and followed the boys' scent through the trees.

I was slower than Emmett and Jasper, but I was finally able to catch up to them about thirty miles north, near Crescent Lake. Emmett was stalking a cougar that was napping in the branches of a large Douglas Fir Tree while Jasper watched from his perch half a mile away.

I easily scaled the tree Jasper was reclining on and settled in below him.

He glanced down at me. "Emmett thinks he can nab the cat without it noticing. I told him that he's fast, but not that fast, and definitely not quiet enough."

I laughed softly, gazing in amusement at my brother down on the wet ground as he slunk his way closer to the base of the tree his prey was resting in.

Jasper's hand brushed my temple as he pushed some hair from my forehead. He stared at me for a few moments. "It will all be okay, Alice," he said gently. "If it's too much, we could always go away for a while."

He means to say that we can go off just the two of us for a while… maybe back East again. I know he misses Peter.

I slowly shook my head. "No, we need to stand together as one. As a family."

Jasper fell silent, watching Emmett try to move carefully below us toward his prey.

"Maybe later," I concede, glancing up at my husband. "After graduation."

I pondered for a moment, considering everything that graduating from Forks High School would bring. It would be the first time that Bella graduated from high school. It deserved some sort of recognition for such a memorable, human accomplishment. Maybe just a small party with family and friends…

We stayed out until the sun was beginning to set, casting orange colors into the sky before deciding it was time to head back home.

As we ran back to the Cullen house, we stayed close to the road, weaving along with the curve of the pavement. We stayed far enough in the tree line that the cars driving in the dimming light would be unable to see us. As we came to the crest of a hill, Jasper stopped suddenly.

Emmett and I skidded to a stop several yards away. We turned back toward Jasper when suddenly, I felt my body go slack and Emmett's large arms surround me before I hit the ground.

_Jasper strategically evaluated the road, gazing far in the distance from his high vantage point. Within minutes, he dropped down to the side of the road and stuck out his thumb. Seconds later, headlights shone brightly as a car rounded the corner. _

_Jasper stepped half way into the road, his arms extended. _

_Brakes squealed against the wet pavement as the car finally came to a stop, mere feet from Jasper's feet. A string of curses could be heard from inside the car. _

_Jasper stood calmly in the road until the driver appeared from the car. _

_A young blonde girl irritably hopped out of the car, red-faced in anger. Her scream of fury caught in her throat as she finally was able to clearly see the hitchhiker that had almost caused her to wreck her car. Her brown eyes widen in surprise and her thin, glossed lips hung agape. _

_The passenger door opened and a beautiful Hispanic girl emerged from the car. She smiled at Jasper. "Need a ride?"_

"_Amanda!" the blonde girl hissed, turning panicked eyes toward her friend, "he's a stranger!"_

_The dark hair girl shrugged, the sweet smile still on her lips. "That's how you make new friends, right, Kelli?"_

_Jasper stared at the Hispanic girl, his dark eyes slightly glazed. He stepped toward the girl, his eyes intently trained on her face. "You don't know how good of a friend I can be…"_

_Amanda smiled, her lusty dark eyes drifting down his body. "We're heading up to Port Angeles to a friend's party. Come with us. It'll be a good time."_

_Jasper's hand was on her hip. He dipped his head down toward hers, breathing in deeply. "You remind me of someone I once knew…"_

_She smirked at him as she ran her olive-skinned hands up his arms. "Well, come with us and I'll help you forget all about her."_

"_Amanda – what are you doing?" Kelli choked in a hushed whisper. _

_But Amanda didn't hear a word. She stepped closer to Jasper, pressing her body to his as she slowly pulled him toward the car. Amanda slid into the car, her hands tightly on Jasper's jacket. Jasper leaned over her, his lips tracing down her check, down her chin, to the peak of her throat. And before she could utter a noise, Jasper sunk his teeth into her neck. _

_A half gurgled cry was all that escaped Amanda's lips before Jasper completely crushed her esophagus. A scream of horror echoed into the night as Kelli stumbled away from the car. She stopped short as a huge figure dropped to the ground in front of her. As Emmett stood, Kelli cowered in fear, tears streaming down her face. _

"_Please… please don't…" she begged, inching away. _

_But her pleas for mercy fell on empty ears as the blood that flooded from Amanda's body clouded Emmett's mind. His large hand encircled her slender neck as Emmett descended upon her and jerked Kelli up to her feet. _

"_Please…" Kelli whispered, her hands shaking as she tried in vain to pry Emmett's fingers from her neck. _

_With a quick twist of his hands, Emmett snapped Kelli's neck. Her lifeless body hung limp in his arms as he sunk to the group and drank his fill from her. _

I felt my shoulders shake violently. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying that the images before me would stop. I couldn't stop shaking, even though I was hanging onto something for dear life.

"Alice."

I allowed myself to open my eyes, bracing myself for a horrific scene.

Emmett peaked down at me, concern covering his face. "Alice, what did you see? Did something happen to Bella? Is it Rosalie? Esme?"

I shook my head, a sickening knot forming in my stomach. "No, but we need to get Jasper out of here."

"J!" Emmett bellowed, pulling me up with him. "Come on! Let's get home!"

Jasper immediately jogged over, apprehension etched in his features. "Alice, what's wrong? What did you see?"

I shook my head, wiping at my burning eyes. I stumbled forwarded before breaking into a sprint. We had to get away from that place. We had to get Jasper as far away from that deserted roadside.

I could hear the boys behind me, quickly gaining ground on me. I kept up my speed until I was certain that we were far enough away from the road and close enough to home.

I slowed down at the end of the Cullen property and finally came to a stop just before the edge of the yard.

Emmett slowly passed by me, throwing me a sympathetic glance before jogging up to the porch where his wife stood waiting for him.

Jasper stopped behind me, placing a tentative hand on my lower back. After a brief moment of silence, Jasper slower his forehead to my shoulder. "Alice," he said softly. "What did you see?"

I swallowed thickly, before shaking my head.

"I could feel your… fear… what happened?"

I sighed. "I saw you lose control and take a life."

Jasper stared ahead in silence. He swallowed thickly before murmuring, "I'm sorry, Alice."

I turned and threw my arms around him, holding him close. His strong, slender arms slowly encircled me, crushing me to his body. "You don't have anything to apologize for, Jazz. You didn't do anything wrong."

"But I was going to," he muttered bitterly into my hair.

I pulled away and gently took his face between my hands. "Jasper, look at me."

Jasper's dark amber eyes slowly raised to meet mine.

"No one is perfect, Jasper. No one. And the fact that you're not perfect doesn't make me love you less – it makes me love you all the more. Because I'm not perfect and you accept me despite my flaws."

I faintly heard Jasper scoff into my hair. "You're perfect to me, Alice. You are. You saved me from a very dark place – and you keep saving me… each and every day."

I lightly run my fingers over the scars on Jasper's jaw. "We saved each other, Jazz. And we always will. I promise."

He caught my fingers and pressed them to his lips.

Jasper and I returned to the house to find Edward home as well. I smiled at my brother and tugged him away for a moment.

"So, I'm sure you already know, but I was thinking that we should throw a graduation party."

Edward chuckled. "I really don't think Bella will like that, Alice…"

I shrugged. "Sure she will. This will be a once in a lifetime experience for her, Edward… I mean, the first time of graduating from high school. It deserves to be recognized – and what better than party?" I smiled my most dazzling smile. _It will also be a good distraction for her while we try to figure out what to do with the situation in Seattle…_ I tell him mentally.

My brother stared hard at me for a moment before finally nodding his approval. "Okay, but you have to tell her."


End file.
